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rowing

 
 

Rowing in a boat with a sliding seat is considered to be one of the best forms of aerobic exercise. It uses muscles in the arms, legs, and torso, providing an all body workout. This increases bone density in the spine which may offer some protection against osteoporosis.

Rowing is a sport which can be enjoyed at many levels. Even some octogenarians with a modest fitness level row regularly for exercise and pleasure. Many stable types of boats have been developed for non-competitive, recreational rowers. Elite rowers require supreme levels of fitness. World-class rowers have extremely high maximum oxygen consumptions (a measure of aerobic fitness), second only to cross-country skiers.

One attraction of rowing is that the boat supports the body so there is little jarring of the joints and a low risk of stress injuries such as shin splints and sore knees. Nevertheless, because the primary power for rowing comes from the leg muscles linked to the back, injuries to the lower back are relatively common. These injuries are often caused by poor conditioning or poor technique, for example, by overworking the flexible thoracic spine rather than using the combined power of the upper and lower body. To reduce the risk of injury, all rowers should do conditioning training and master the correct techniques. They should also train to develop their aerobic fitness, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility, so that they can improve their performance and enhance their enjoyment. Training on water usually includes long stretches of rowing at two-thirds maximum effort interspersed with bursts at maximum energy output. Land-based training may involve calisthenics, weight training, running, cycling, and the use of rowing machines.

Despite low injury rates, serious accidents can occur if rowers capsize. All rowers should be able to swim and be fully aware of survival techniques in case of accidents.

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Propulsion of a boat by means of oars. As a sport, it involves one of two kinds of boat: (1) the shell, a narrow, light racing boat propelled by eight rowers pulling single oars under the direction of a coxswain; and (2) the scull, a racing shell propelled by one or two rowers using sculls (pairs of oars). Organized racing began at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the 1820s, culminating in 1839 in the Henley Regatta (from 1851 the Henley Royal Regatta). In the U.S., Harvard and Yale universities first raced in 1851. Rowing events in the Olympic Games have been held for men since 1900 and for women since 1976.

For more information on rowing, visit Britannica.com.

 
British History: rowing
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Organized competitive rowing, like most sports, developed in the 19th cent., though the Irish comedian Doggett founded his sculling race on the Thames for the Coat and Badge in 1715. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race was first rowed in 1829. Henley regatta was established in 1839, the main events being the Grand Challenge Cup for eights and the Diamond Sculls for single oarsmen.

 
rowing, the art of propelling a boat by means of oars operated by hand. Boats propelled by oars (e.g., the galley) were used in ancient times for both war and commerce. Rowing is now generally used only for propelling small boats or for sport. One of the oldest continuous sporting events in the world is the Doggett's Coat and Badge rowing race, held in London every year since 1716 and named for Thomas Doggett, a popular actor of early 18th cent. England. The most famous of all rowing races are the Thames River competitions between Oxford and Cambridge, first held at Henley in 1829. The first collegiate rowing regatta in the United States took place in 1852 between Harvard and Yale. In modern racing, each member of the rowing team, or crew, uses both hands to pull one oar through the water. The oars, attached to riggings jutting out from the side of the boats to increase leverage, are positioned alternately on opposite sides of the vessel. The boat, or shell, is sometimes steered by a coxswain, who sits at the back of the vessel and manipulates tiller ropes attached to a rudder; the coxswain also directs the speed and rhythm of the crew's strokes. Sculling is a variant of rowing in which the rower controls two oars, one in each hand. Sculling teams consist of one, two, or four members; rowing crews have two, four, or eight members, with or without a coxswain. Rowing and sculling events for men have been included in the Olympic games since 1900; women's races were first run in 1976.


 
Translations: Rowing
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - ro-, roning

idioms:

  • rowing boat    robåd
  • rowing machine    romaskine

Nederlands (Dutch)
roeien(d), herrie

Français (French)
n. - aviron

idioms:

  • rowing boat    bateau à rames
  • rowing machine    rameur

Deutsch (German)
n. - Rudern

idioms:

  • rowing boat    Ruderboot
  • rowing machine    Rudergerät

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κωπηλασία, κουπί

idioms:

  • rowing boat    βάρκα με κουπιά
  • rowing machine    κουπί γυμναστικής

Italiano (Italian)
voga, canottaggio

idioms:

  • rowing boat    barca a remi
  • rowing machine    macchina a remi per esercizio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - remo (m)

idioms:

  • rowing boat    barco a remos
  • rowing machine    aparelho que estimula o movimento de remo

Русский (Russian)
снабженный веслами

idioms:

  • rowing boat    гребная шлюпка
  • rowing machine    гимнастическое устройство в виде лодки для зарядки

Español (Spanish)
n. - remo

idioms:

  • rowing boat    bote de remos
  • rowing machine    máquina de remo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - rodd

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
划船

idioms:

  • rowing boat    划艇
  • rowing machine    训练用的划船架, 划船练习器

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 划船

idioms:

  • rowing boat    划艇
  • rowing machine    訓練用的划船架, 划船練習器

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 배 젓기, 조정, 조정용

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ローイング

idioms:

  • rowing boat    こぎ舟
  • rowing machine    ローイングマシーン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تجذيف‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮חתירה, שיוט‬


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Food and Fitness. Food and Fitness: A Dictionary of Diet and Exercise. Copyright © 1997, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
British History. A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more